Non-volatile memory (NVM) retention improvement utilizing protective electrical shield

ABSTRACT

An electrical shield is provided in a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell structure to protect the cell&#39;s floating gate from any influence resulting from charge redistribution in the vicinity of the floating gate during a programming operation. The shield may be created from the second polysilicon layer or other conductive material covering the floating gate. The shield may be grounded. Alternately, it may be connected to the cell&#39;s control gate electrode resulting in better coupling between the floating gate and the control gate. It is not necessary that the shield cover the floating gate completely, the necessary protective effect is achieved if the coupling to the dielectric layers surrounding the floating gate is reduced.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a methodology for improving the retention properties of a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell by utilizing an electrical shield to protect against charge redistribution in the layers surrounding the cell's floating gate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial cross section drawing illustrating a conventional electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) cell structure.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross section drawing illustrating a conventional electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) cell structure.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are, respectively, a plan view and a partial cross section drawing illustrating an alternate embodiment of a conventional EEPROM cell.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectioning drawing illustrating a conventional Frohmann-Bentchkowsky EPROM cell.

FIG. 5 is a plot presenting typical dependence of VT vs. time for a programmed non-volatile memory (NVM) cell.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section drawing illustrating a NVM cell and corresponding electrical model, in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross section drawing illustrating an embodiment of an NVM cell utilizing an electrical shield for the cell's floating gate in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,787, issued on Oct. 6, 1987, discloses as prior art the conventional electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) device structure shown in FIG. 1. The FIG. 1 EPROM transistor device includes a source 10 and a drain 12 formed on a substrate 14. The source 10 and the drain 12 define a channel region 16 in the substrate 14. Positioned above the channel region 16 is a layer of insulating material that forms a gate dielectric layer 18. A floating gate 20 of semiconductor material is formed over the gate dielectric layer 18. A second layer 22 of insulating material is formed over the floating gate 20. Finally, a layer of semiconductor material is formed over the second layer of insulating material 22 to form a control gate 24. Field oxide 26 isolates the transistor structure from periphery devices (not shown). Electrical connections 27, 28 and 30 are provided for applying voltages to the drain 12, gate 24 and source 10, respectively.

Programming of the FIG. 1 EPROM cell is accomplished by raising the potential of the drain 12 (e.g. 8-12V), holding the source 10 at ground and applying a programming voltage pulse (e.g., approximately 13-21V) to the control gate 24 for a preselected period of time (e.g., 1-10 milliseconds). The result of these conditions is that a conductive region is established in the channel 16 across which electrons 32 are accelerated. The conductive region is designated by the dashed line 34 in FIG. 1. The magnitude and polarity of the voltages applied to the drain 12, the source 10 and the gate 24 are such that this conductive region is “pinched off” in a region adjacent to the drain 12. This causes electrons 32 to be raised sufficiently in potential so that they become “hot.” These “hot” electrons create additional electron/hole pairs by impact ionization. In this condition, these electrons are elevated to an energy level that permits them to overcome the insulating properties of the gate dielectric 18. The hot electrons can thus “jump” the potential barrier of the gate dielectric 18. Due to the electric field created by the control gate, the hot electrons are attracted to the floating gate 20 where they are stored, thereby programming the cell.

The above-cited '787 patent also discloses a programming mechanism for an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), shown in FIG. 2. The EEPROM cell structure shown in FIG. 2 utilizes a different programming mechanism than does the EPROM cell described above. As with the EPROM structure, the EEPROM structure includes a drain 36, a source 38, a floating gate 42 separated from the substrate by a gate oxide layer 43, a gate 40 separated from the floating gate 42 by another layer of oxide 45, all of which are deposited or thermally grown. However, the EEPROM structure differs from the EPROM structure in that it provides a thin tunnel dielectric 46 between the drain 36 and the floating gate 42. As shown in FIG. 2, the portion of the floating gate 42 that is positioned above the tunnel dielectric 46 is positioned on the drain region 36. Further, the portion of the gate 40 that is aligned with the tunnel dielectric 46 is also positioned on the drain 36. Programming (and erasing) of this structure is achieved by inducing potential differences between the gate 40 and the drain 36 that are on the order of 20V. The thin dielectric region coupled with the high voltage between the gate 40 and the drain 36 induces “Fowler-Nordheim Tunneling.”

To program the FIG. 2 cell, i.e. to place electrons on the floating gate 42, the drain 36 is held at ground potential while the gate 40 is pulsed for approximately 10 milliseconds at a potential of approximately 20V. During the programming operation, the source 38 is allowed to float. Under these conditions, electrons tunnel through the tunnel dielectric 46 to the floating gate 42.

The '787 patent also discloses another EEPROM cell structure, shown in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b. In this structure, a relatively shallow drain region 54 and a deeper source region 56 are formed in a silicon substrate 52. A channel 58 is defined between the source 56 and the drain 54. A gate dielectric 60 is formed over the channel 58 and extends over the channel 58 and to extend between the drain 54 and to overlap a portion 62 of the source 56. The gate dielectric 60 has a relatively uniform thickness over its entire cross section. A floating gate 64 is formed over the gate dielectric 60. A second layer of dielectric material 66 is formed over the floating gate 64. A control gate 68 is formed over the second layer of insulating material 66.

Programming of the cell shown in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b is achieved by raising the drain region 54 and the control gate 68 to predetermined potentials above that of the source region 56. For example, in one programming scheme, the drain 54 is raised to between 4-6V, while the control gate 68 is pulsed at about 10-12V for approximately 0.5-5 msec. Under these conditions, “hot” electrons are generated and accelerated across the gate dielectric and onto the floating gate. Thus, the programming operation for this cell is similar to that of a conventional EPROM cell.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,723, issued on Oct. 24, 2000, discloses a so-called “Frohmann-Bentchkowsky” memory transistor, shown in FIG. 4. The FIG. 4 device includes spaced-apart source region 70 and drain region 72 formed in an n-well 74, which in turn is formed in a p-type silicon substrate 76. A channel region 78 is defined between the source region 70 and the drain region 72 and a layer of gate oxide 80 is formed over the channel region 78. A gate 82 is formed over the gate oxide layer 80. A layer of insulating material 84 along with gate oxide 80 encapsulates the gate 82.

The FIG. 4 cell is programmed by applying biasing voltages to the n-well 74 and to the drain region 72 that are sufficient to induce avalanche breakdown. For example, avalanche breakdown is induced by applying ground to the n-well 74 and a negative breakdown voltage to the drain region 72, while either grounding or floating the source region 70, or by applying a positive breakdown voltage to the n-well 74 and ground to the drain 72, while floating or applying a positive breakdown voltage to the source 70. The biasing voltages that are sufficient to induce avalanche breakdown establish a strong electric field across the drain/n-well junction depletion region. The strong electric field accelerates electrons in the junction depletion region into substrate hot electrons. A number of these substrate hot electrons penetrate the gate oxide layer 80 and accumulate on the floating gate 82, thereby programming the cell.

Each of the cells described above is exemplary of a programming scheme for a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell. One of the basic properties of NVM cells is the ability to maintain charge on the floating gate within a required period of time (retention). The method to control retention is to monitor the threshold voltage VT of the cell over time. A typical dependence of VT versus time is presented in FIG. 5. The FIG. 5 plot shows two mechanisms in effect with different characteristics that are commonly attributed to two leakage mechanisms: an initial leakage mechanism that leads to a significant VT shift within a short time (seconds or minutes) followed by a more gradual decrease in VT over a much longer period of time (e.g. 10 years).

The present invention is based upon the concept that the initial radical VT shift is not related to leakage from the floating gate, as is commonly believed, but rather may be attributed to charge redistribution in the dielectric layers/interfaces that surround the floating gate that effect the floating gate voltage due to capacitive coupling, as shown in FIG. 6. That is, after programming, the floating gate has a negative voltage that results in an electric field directed to the floating gate. This electric field forces positive charges to move toward the floating gate where they can be trapped at some of the interfaces. This process stops when the amount of trapped charge is sufficient to reduce the electric field outside the interface to zero.

In FIG. 6, the polysilicon floating gate electrode id formed on gate oxide which, in turn, is formed on the composite. Additional oxide and plasma enhanced TEOS (PETEOS) insulates the floating gate, as does surrounding sacrificial SION and PETEOS.

This, a new control gate design is proposed that utilizes a protective shield. The shield can be made from the commonly employed second polysilicon layer or from other conductive material deposited over the floating gate. The second poly shield is similar to the well-known stacked gate design, but has a new function—to prevent the floating gate from being influenced by surrounding charges resulting from a programming operation. In the new design, the coupling between the control gate and the floating gate has low components due to the capacitance to the well and to the shield.

FIG. 7 shows a cross section of a shielded NVM cell in accordance with the present invention. The transistor (source and drain not shown) is formed in the substrate in an active region defined by shallow trench isolation (STI) in the well known manner. Gate Oxide separates the polysilicon floating gate (FG) from the substrate transistor source and drain. In the FIG. 7 embodiment, a control gate diffusion region (CG Cap) is formed in the substrate and is overlapped by the floating gate (FG), with intervening Gate Oxide therebetween. A protective polysilicon cap (Poly Cap) is formed over the floating gate (FG) with intervening cap oxide (Cap Ox) therebetween. A layer of cobalt silicide (CoSi) is formed on the Poly Cap and a layer of silicon oxinitride (SION) is formed on the CoSi layer. As stated above, the Poly Cap may be grounded. The FIG. 7 embodiment of the invention shows the Poly Cap electrically connected to the control gate region (CG Cap) via a metal interconnect structure (Metal). Isolation is provided by an overlying layer of PETEOS.

It should be understood that the particular embodiments of the invention described above have been provided by way of example and that other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A non-volatile memory (NVM) cell structure formed in a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, the NVM cell structure comprising: a drain region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate; a source region having the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the drain region to define a substrate channel region therebetween; a layer of gate dielectric material formed over the substrate channel region; a polysilicon floating gate having a first portion formed on the gate dielectric material and over the substrate channel region; a control gate diffusion region formed in the semiconductor substrate and overlapped by a second portion of the polysilicon floating gate with silicon oxide formed between the control gate diffusion region and the second portion of the polysilicon floating gate; a conductive protective shield formed over the floating gate electrode and separated therefrom by an intervening dielectric material; and a conductive interconnect element formed to electrically connect the conductive protective shield and the control gate diffusion region.
 2. The NVM memory cell structure as in claim 1, and further comprising: a metal silicide layer formed on the protective shield.
 3. The NVM memory cell structure as in claim 2, and further comprising: a silicon oxinitride layer formed on the metal silicide layer.
 4. The NVM memory cell structure as in claim 2, and wherein the protective shield comprises polysilicon. 